-inflicted wound to our economy. keeping it that way means folks you senttowashingtonhaveto do their jobs. the housing market is healing, but that could stall as folks are seeing smaller paychecks. >> with time running out, it sounds like conservatives may have to fight spending when raising the debt ceiling is the new fight in the new year. harris? >> mike, democrats say they know they need republican help to get this through. they are counting on a top republican to be a deal maker. who is that person? >> that's right. mitch mcconnell, the senate minority leader we just talked about moments ago, he had been keeping a low profile and allowing speaker john boehner to negotiate directly with the president of the united states. but now a number of democrats including white house officials believe mcconnell be key. >> we ar engaged in -- we are engaged in discussions, the majority leader and myself in the hopes that we can come forward as early as sunday and have a recommendation that i could make and the majority leader can make to his conference. >> sources say speaker boehner deferred to